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Food, Going Healthy

Healthy Chocolate Protein Dip Recipe

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How about a healthy chocolate dessert dip recipe that’s easy to make and perfect to enjoy this upcoming weekend? Loaded with protein and creamy goodness, it’s good just eating right from a spoon!

Healthy Chocolate Protein Dip

I’ll spare you the long talk and get right to it. Our time is precious, so why go on about…..never mind, I’ll do that again soon. 🙂

Topped with Greek yogurt and cocoa nibs, chocolate
Topped with Greek yogurt and cocoa nibs

Chocolate Protein Dip

Ingredients:

1 can of chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed

2 medium ripe bananas (the more spots the better to me!)*See note below if you don’t have bananas

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp baking soda

rounded1/8 tsp salt

3 packets of stevia or about 2 tsp; it takes a while get the right amount since so many stevia products are different, so just adjust to taste. If you’re not into stevia, you can use 2/3 cup of brown sugar or honey, but this will detract a little of the “healthy” part.

2 Tbsp raw cacao powder

1/4 cup rolled oats, ground flax seeds, or chia seeds (you can omit this, it just helps to make it really thick)

*If you don’t have or like bananas, try using 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, pumpkin puree, or Greek yogurt as a substitute. I have tried all of these and still like the outcome. There’s no wrong way, just what you have on hand.

Directions:

Add everything in a blender or food processor and blend until you have a smooth, creamy consistency.

The dip will firm up a little more if you let it cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Or make a double batch so you can eat one right away like I do!

This is perfect to treat the whole family, and a wonderful way to get any picky eaters to think they’re getting away with something. Have it alone or smear it on a banana, you’ll be happy either way!

 

Have you ever made a sweet dip that’s healthy and delicious?

What do you think about using chickpeas as the main ingredient?

Going Healthy

Healthy Overnight Oatmeal Crisp Recipe on MLK Day

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Today’s post is an oldie but a goodie with a recipe from my old healthy foodie blog, Just Add Cayenne. It dates back to 2012, before we even thought of having a beautiful girl named Avery. But now, we couldn’t be happier with our constantly growing girl, her curly hair, and mesmerizing blue eyes….

healthy oatmeal crisps

Since I originally posted the Overnight Oatmeal Crisp recipe on MLK Day back then, I figured today is as good as any to share here on Going Dad. I don’t make this version in the oven like I used to, but now I’m seriously craving some healthy, homemade crispy goodness.

Do me a favor and make some for me and let me know how you like them. Maybe when Avery is a little older and knows not to pull on the hot oven door (yes, I know there is a lock and yes, I use it), I’ll make them again.

I’m being lazy and pasting the html directly from my old blog post, so you get to read about what’s going on in our lives at the time. Of course, you could just skip it and get to the recipe, but where’s the fun in that? Hope you’re having a great day!

We get this Monday, 01/16/12 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.  Thank you, Mr. King, for helping us be free from working today!!

Unfortunately, Kelley has been and still is sick with a vicious cold; the thing won’t go away!  So today she is getting some needed rest while I do things in the kitchen (surprise).  I made a mini version of Tomato and Bean Bread Soup (recipe will come in a future post) that she really enjoys.  It wasn’t the same as usual since it calls for white kidney (cannellini) beans and I didn’t have fresh garlic or many tomatoes to use.  Either way, I think she was pleased and I hope the wholesome food helps fight the crap inside.  The soup plus lots of herbal tea is hopefully working for her…..at least it can’t hurt!

Besides chopping a jicama to bring to work for the week and cooking a work lunch for us, I made Overnight Oatmeal Crisps.  I just recently started to make these instead of baking so much with eggs, egg whites, and pumpkin puree in order to save time.  The beauty of these is you can use mostly the same spices and flavorings you like in cookies, but in a much healthier way.

Just soaking rolled oats by filling with water to the top of the oats in a container is nothing, and they make for a great warm cereal meal on a cold day.  If it’s hot outside, just eat the soaked oats cold…..it’s very refreshing.  My favorite add-ins are vanilla whey protein powder, peanut flower, and cinnamon with several drops of liquid stevia.

I just use an empty yogurt container to fill with oats, spices, powders, and a dash of salt; fill with water and let sit overnight or at least an hour in the fridge.  The starch from the oats help bind things together for that cookie-like result. Here is what I commonly use to make these, but this is easily customized to suit the tastes of anyone.

Overnight Oatmeal Crisps
healthy oatmeal crisps

 

Ingredients
– Rolled Oats; I just buy these in bulk and use how ever many will almost fill various containers
– Peanut flour, natural whey protein powder, non-fat dry milk powder; I try to use in a 1 part flour to 4 parts oats ratio, but doesn’t have to be exact.
– Dash of sea salt
– 10 to 15 drops of liquid stevia
– Optional: Chia Seeds (these gel up nicely when soaked and help bind the oats even more); nuts or dried fruit might work too, but I haven’t tried.
Directions
Once I have an empty yogurt container (no need to clean it out), I pour the oats in leaving some extra space at the top for the other ingredients. I usually add a good amount of peanut flour along with some vanilla whey protein and a few chia seeds.  Together, these make up about 1/2 a cup for the 32oz container in the picture.  Add a sprinkle of sea salt, cinnamon, and 12 drops of liquid stevia (honey or agave would work too) then gently shake the container to mix together.  Add water (use milk if you wish) to where it rises just above the oats and stir everything together until well incorporated. 
You’ll notice the mixture already thickening; just let sit in the fridge for at least an hour.
healthy oatmeal crisps
When ready, pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees, spread the oats thin on a cookie sheet and bake for about 30 – 40 minutes turning once you see them browning on one side.
healthy oatmeal crisps

These should come out nice and crispy; enjoy!  They are usually sturdy enough to hold up to a good yogurt and peanut butter dip or to let soak in milk.  I like just having something tasty, crunchy, and made in our kitchen.

If you have ripe bananas around, mash one and mix that into the oats too.  Bananas are great when using peanut flour and cocoa powder in the mix…try it!

I hope you give this a shot and let me know what flavors you used.  Happy MLK day, try not to get sick!!

Going Healthy, Promo

Legion Whey+ Banana Vanilla Protein Pancakes Recipe

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Do you love banana bread? What about a tasty vanilla treat? If so, I have just the thing for you….Pancakes! Not just any pancakes, healthy, protein-packed, and easy-to-make pancakes!

legion whey+ protein pancakes

With delicious Legion Whey+ 100% Isolate Protein Powder and fiber-rich oat flour, you can forget the nutrient lacking white flour found in most recipes for something healthy the whole family will enjoy for breakfast. If you missed my review of Legion’s Whey+ Vanilla Protein Powder, you can read it here. If you’re wondering if your little ones can have/will like them, let me just put this here…..

As a parent to a demanding toddler, labor-intensive recipes requiring time and precise measurements are as common as our little girl accepting when it’s time for bed and willingly hopping in bed to go to sleep.. Which, as most parents know, is anything but common! But that doesn’t mean you can’t feed your family healthy food they’ll love.

Hey, Dad, less pics and more pancakes for Mommy and me!
Hey, Dad, less pics and more pancakes for Mommy and me!

These pancakes are fluffy and golden just calling out to your taste buds to savor each and every bite.

Legion Protein Pancakes-Cooked

Since they are so easy to make, they’re perfect on any day of the week. Make the batter the night before for an even quicker breakfast. Every second counts when you have two very hungry girls in the morning, I don’t even get hugs until they have food in their bellies!

Legion Protein and Banana

Legion Whey+ Vanilla Protein Pancakes

Ingredients (2 – 3 Servings):

  • 1/2 cup oat flour (Just put rolled oats in a blender if you don’t have flour)
  • 1/2 cup Legion Whey+ Vanilla Protein
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 12 drops vanilla or regular liquid stevia (about 2 – 3 stevia packets or 1/8th pure stevia powder)
  • 1 overripe banana, mashed
  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Heat griddle or shallow pan on medium heat and coat with non-stick spray, butter, or coconut oil.

  2. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix by hand (if you don’t mind a few clumps) or in a blender like the NutriBullet until all ingredients are fully mixed.

  3. Scoop batter onto pre-heated pan with a large spoon to form pancakes to your desired size.

  4. Allow to cook until edges begin to harden and you see bubbles forming, about 2 ½ – 3 minutes.

  5. Flip pancakes and allow to cook about another minute or two. The batter should no longer be runny.

  6. Remove from heat and serve the savages your loving family while trying to save a few for yourself.

I love topping these with a mixture of cottage cheese and NuttZo for an extra delicious and protein-packed treat, but they are perfect as is.

protein pancakes

After you make and unquestionably WOW yourself and your family, try making a Whey+ Chocolate version or swap pumpkin puree in place of the banana. Have fun, be creative, and enjoy!